BADAL SEEKS PERSONAL INTERVENTION OF JHARKHAND CM TO ENSURE UNINTERRUPTED COAL SUPPLY TO PUNJAB

• ASKS MUNDA FOR EARLY RESOLUTION ONGOING POLITICAL IMBROGLIO

 Chandigarh, November 28 - Apprehending critical power situation emerging out of stoppage of coal supply from Jharkhand to the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today urged his Jharkhand counterpart Mr Arjun Munda seeking his personal intervention to immediately resume the coal supply by resolving the deadlock due to ongoing political agitation at the earliest to avert the closure of thermal power plants in the state.

In a letter to the Jharkhand Chief Minister, Mr Badal asked him to use his good offices to resolve the issue at the earliest to pave a way

for the smooth and uninterrupted supply of coal to Punjab, which had been currently halted due to ongoing political agitation, so that the power scenario which has been adversely hit due to non supply of coal could not be further allowed to deteriorate.

It may be recalled that Pachwara (Central) coal block in Pakkur district of State of Jharkhand allotted to PSEB (now PSPCL) in the year 2002 has been developed and was being operated by Mls Panem Coal Mines Ltd., a joint venture company of PSEB and Mls EMTA Coal Limited.

Mr Badal apprised the Jharkhand Chief Minister that the captive coal block met substantial part of requirement of coal for thermal power stations of Punjab adding that on an average, PSPCL thermal power stations have been receiving 5-6 coal rakes daily but the supplies have been disrupted recently due to local agitation. He mentioned Mls Panem Coal Mines Ltd. have reported that from November 16 this, former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Mr Babulal Marandi alongwith former Deputy Chief Minister Mr Stephen Marandi and their supporters have started a Dharna near the coal mine blocking the approach road to the mine resulting in total disruption of transportation from mines to the railway siding at Pakkur. From the night of November 20, another Dharna has been organized by their associates at the Pakkur railway siding resulting in discontinuation of dispatch of coal from the railway siding.

The Chief Minister said that as the approach road to the mines was blocked, diesel could not be transported to the mine and the mining operations have been reported to have come to standstill. He further said that Mls Panem have informed that the project affected people and the local villagers were extremely happy and satisfied with the kind of support both economically and socially, they were receiving from the company through the rehabilitation package. Mr Badal said it appeared that Mr Marandi has been misinformed as the rehabilitation package worked out by the company and approved by .the State and Central Government has been rated satisfactory by a committee set up by the Government of India (GoI) to examine and monitor the working conditions of the mines.

The Chief Minister pointed out that efforts made by Mls Panem and the local administration to clear the misunderstanding of Mr Babulal Marandi have not been successful till now.